May 1, 2013 Flight #977 ORD-ATL was aborted after nearly going airborne, twice. This was due to a "cockpit emergency signal malfunction". Passengers aboard the jet experienced fatigue, stress, and more than 2 hours on the plane, without reaching their destinations.

My final destination that day was Guatemala, it became clear early on that I'd miss my connecting flight due to this disaster. I was re-booked for the same flight the next morning. I lost a whole day of my Guatemala adventure/volunteer trip, not to mention the pain spent lugging baggage on and off the plane, going back home to Chicago and doing the whole thing over again.

Delta's "compensation" offer was next to nothing. I was given a $50 voucher that had a mastercard number on it. The ORD McDonald's didn't take the voucher, nor did any other stores at ORD save for one Starbucks. I was also told that this voucher, since it had a MasterCard number, would be good at any retailer in Chicago that took credit cards. I went to try and use it at the local Jewel food store and was declined.

I was also given 10,000 "free" skymiles. At an estimated value of $1.22 per mile, that added up to a whopping $12.20 - towards a future Delta flight purchase. I have contacted Delta to try and receive fair compensation, but as of yet I have not heard back, which is surprising as their customer service has been fairly decent in the past.

I would like to also paste the offer from Delta's Jason Hauser below, confirming the details of the compensation package.

"> Dear Mr. XXXX
>
> RE: Case Number XXXX
>
> On behalf of Delta Air Lines, I would like to take this opportunity to
> offer you my sincere apology for any inconvenience caused on May 1 when
> take off was interrupted twice for mechanical reasons on Flight 977 from
> Chicago to Atlanta.
>
> We are extremely sensitive to your experience and recognize how
> concerning this situation may have been for you. We are also genuinely
> apologetic that our flight was subsequently cancelled and you arrived at
> your destination later than planned. Despite our best efforts, flight
> irregularities do occur; however, the concern for public safety will
> always remain our top priority.
>
> As you may be aware, in an effort to demonstrate how truly sorry we are
> for this flight disruption, our Chicago Airport Customer Service team
> issued an Electronic Transportation Credit Voucher (eTCV) in the amount
> of $50.00. To redeem your voucher, please contact Reservations at
> 1-800-221-1212 with your name, flight number and flight date.
> Alternatively, SkyMiles members may go to (url) and
> select "View Certificates and eCredits by SkyMiles or Certificate
> number" to redeem their voucher. It is also important to remind you
> that there is no Direct Ticketing fee for reservations confirmed online
> at delta.com.
>
> In addition, as a further gesture of goodwill, I have added 10,000 bonus
> miles to your SkyMiles account XXXXX. Please allow three business
> days for the mileage to reflect in your account.

> In closing, I pledge to you that we are dedicated to providing safe and
> on-time transportation. We hope you will allow us a future opportunity
> to serve you on a Delta flight. Thank you for your understanding and
> for flying Delta Air Lines.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Jason Hausner
> Director, Customer Care

Surely if the miles were worth $1.22 per mile and you were awarded 10,000 miles, the award would be worth $12,200. I think you might mean it was worth $0.0122, although "Findthebest", based on standard airline fares, miles (or points) for Delta's SkyMiles frequent flyer program are worth approximately the following:

The award is very poor. Had you had the same experience departing from a European airport you would have been entitled to €600, plus hotel, meals, etc. That's what happens when you deregulate and provide anti-trust immunity to abusive monopolists like Delta.

Surely if the miles were worth $1.22 per mile and you were awarded 10,000 miles, the award would be worth $12,200. I think you might mean it was worth $0.0122, although "Findthebest", based on standard airline fares, miles (or points) for Delta's SkyMiles frequent flyer program are worth approximately the following:

The award is very poor. Had you had the same experience departing from a European airport you would have been entitled to €600, plus hotel, meals, etc. That's what happens when you deregulate and provide anti-trust immunity to abusive monopolists like Delta.

Gee Jim - you're right! (unless I'm getting a check for $12,200 I don't know about and it's in the mail).

Thanks so much for responding. Alas, this was not Europe and it appears the system in the USA is beyond broken. Thankfully, we have sites like this, and social media, to draw attention to the abuse that passengers are suffering here in the states.